Category Archives: Business District

Once again, out of 125 City of San Diego communities, Pacific Beach ranks 2nd overall with 216 violent crimes(Click here to see SDPD crime stats by neighborhood).

This has been going on for years, as can be seen in this graph of the top communities for total violent crime from 2011 to 2016.

Only East Village had a higher incidence of violent crime. It is simply unacceptable that this criminal activity continues in our community. There were 31 “reported” sexual assaults! We are averaging nearly 20 violent crimes per month. Click here to download a graph-> Violent Crime Top 10 2011-2016

Over the past 5.5 months, there were 306 drug/alcohol violations within .50 miles of 1000 Garnet Avenue. To view a map that demonstrates how crime is primarily occurring in our business district, click here -> CrimeMapping (2-13-17)

By contrast, PBs residential neighborhoods have very low violent crime but are stigmatized by the by the high crime in our business district. Pacific Beach Crime Stats (2013-16)

Community leaders have made numerous requests (via email, phone, letters, etc.) to our city leaders to increase enforcement but more importantly, to get in front of the problem via alcohol licensing/permitting land use ordinance policy. Click here to see -> PBPG report on proposed policy. The number of violent crimes, as well as other “non-violent” crimes, is simply unacceptable. The non-response from the City is simply unacceptable. Pacific Beach Crime Stats (2013-16)

On Wednesday, February 3rd, the San Diego Police Department will deliver its annual “Crime Briefing” to the City Council’s Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods committee (PS&LN). Crime statistics for the first 11 months of 2015 have been posted on their website and are shown graphically below: http://www.sandiego.gov/police/services/statistics/index.shtml

Once again PB is near the top for violent crime (mostly alcohol-fueled fights and assaults), almost all of which occurred in the “bar district.” The police have been doing an outstanding job at an impossible task. It is past time for the City to enact policies that will give our police the tools and funding they need to reduce this high crime. And every year, PB continues to get additional new/expanded alcohol licenses, sometimes even over the objections of the police and the local staff of the ABC.

Since SavePB.org was formed in 2005, we’ve been working to reduce the crime in our business district that is a direct result of the over-concentration of alcohol businesses, and their problematic operations. We have researched and proposed proven solutions, which include establishing city control over where and how new alcohol businesses operate, and using a cost recovery fee to fund enhanced police monitoring and enforcement. However, so far the City has been unwilling to adopt these solutions, and a result, crime in our business district remains high. (Fortunately, crime remains low in our residential neighborhoods!) As always, it is critical for City officials to hear from concerned citizens who want effective action to reduce alcohol-related crime.

We encourage you to email your experiences and comments to our City officials:

Email to PS&LN Committee members and staff, and to the mayor:martiemerald@sandiego.gov; chriscate@sandiego.gov; myrtlecole@sandiego.gov; toddgloria@sandiego.gov; mberumen@sandiego.gov; kevinfaulconer@sandiego.gov

The City must adopt new policies that give the City (not the ABC) land-use control over where and how new alcohol businesses operate; and that provide police with the funding and tools they need to educate, monitor and enforce to ensure best business practices that reduce alcohol-related crime. Many other California cities have successfully used such policies to reduce crime and to improve business districts as well as residents quality of life. Read PB Planning Group 2011 report for more info on issues and solutions:

It’s time to give police the tools they need to make Pacific Beach safer. It’s good for the hospitality industry, for tourism, for all businesses, and for residents too.

A bike ride on the boardwalk from Mission Beach to Pacific Beach was held on January 30th to show support for renting locally and to protest some DecoBike locations. In particular, residents and businesses were protesting these locations:• Installed on the boardwalk • In front of or near local bike shops and businesses that also rent bikes.

A sizable crowd attending riding bikes provided by our local businesses. More to com…

Background: The first bike sharing location arrived in San Diego in January of last year. For over a year prior, representatives from the City and DecoBike worked with Mission Beach and Pacific Beach community groups on how to integrate a bike share program. There were many meetings to vet issues including the impact on local small businesses, safety, convenience, parking and traffic congestion along with the needs of Deco Bikes to ensure a successful business model for bike share.

The DecoBike company simply ignored a list of acceptable locations which had already been agreed to.

For the last two years, the PB Planning Group, the PB Business Improvement District (Discover PB) and the PB Town Council had been working with the Deco Bikes Corporation to agree upon locations for the bike corrals. They had identified and agreed upon a few locations, but at a meeting two weeks ago, Deco Bikes said they planned to put the bikes on the boardwalk. All PB groups opposed this plan as it would take away from established local businesses, block the stunning views, crowd the boardwalk and not benefit the community of PB at all. In spite of the opposition from every group in PB, Deco Bikes came last Friday, removed benches, and installed two bike corrals, over 80 feet on the west side of the boardwalk one block from each other, obstructing views of the ocean in between the pier and south to the life guard tower. There are also locations at the foot of Pacific Beach Drive, Thomas and Grand Avenue and more boardwalk stalls to come.

We are supportive of bikes, but the boardwalk locations are not convenient and crowd the boardwalk for visitors and residents. This Miami, Florida based corporation is taking up precious space on our boardwalk to rent out bikes to tourists. Pacific Beach already has many local business that provide rental bike service.

HOW YOU CAN HELP. A local grassroots group has multiple strategies to get the bikes removed and to keep more from being installed. There has been great press coverage over the last few days, but in spite of the vocal fury over the unexpected installations, the city has been unresponsive.

A Captain’s Advisory Board meeting was held on March 18th. Here are topics that were covered:

Property Crime is up. But you can do a lot to help yourself and your neighbors. Property crime is often due to easy entry through unlocked windows, doors and gates. What you can do: If a crime occurs in your neighborhood, report it to the police and post it on nextdoor.com so that other residents will be on the alert.

Pedestrian accidents are on the rise. “…of 55 pedestrian deaths in San Diego last year, 51 were the pedestrian’s fault.” As of last Friday, the Traffic Unit has started handing out citations for: Jaywalking, bicyclists not observing stop signs and breaking other traffic laws and distracted drivers and pedestrians, e.g. on cell phones or texting, etc. What you can do: Don’t be one of those people!

In April, a PISO Officer will be working in our area on weekends and nights. This officer will address illegal parking, e.g. enforcing the 72 hour rule and people staying overnight in RV’s. They will also respond to lower priority Police calls. What you can do: Report illegal parking in your neighborhood. Click here to find out how-> Illegal Parking.

Many, many bikes are stolen in PB. In an effort to stem the tide, the Police have acquired 2 bikes fitted with GPS tracking devices. These bikes will be used as decoys in areas where bicycles are frequently stolen.

We have a Beach Team of 8 to 9 Officers patrolling the beach and boardwalk. At night, they patrol the business district. Last year, they wrote over 1,000 citations. This past weekend, the division hired two officers on overtime and had them patrol the boardwalk for 6 hours. These officers wrote citations for alcohol, smoking, dogs and made themselves visible to the many “spring breakers” .

Officers now regularly conduct inspections of bar and restaurants to ensure all conditions of Entertainment Permits and Alcohol Licenses are being met. As a result, compliance with conditions has noticeably improved. Inspections are random and complaint driven. Police look for overcrowding and for adequate security.. They check for open windows and doors that may be contributing to a noise problems. What you can do: If you notice this type of problem, please call the SDPD-emergency # : 619 531-2000

Quality of Life Team: We are fortunate to have 2 outstanding Officers who address the transient problem in our community. They achieve the work of two Squads. These 2 officers help transients with transportation to a shelter. They also enforce illegal lodging and issue stay away orders. What you can do: If you see suspicious activity or groups of people that make you uncomfortable don’t just pass by, report it to the police non-emergency #, 619 531-2000.

On a Saturday night in March, a DUI checkpoint was conducted in the 2700 block of Grand Ave. between 11 p.m. Saturday and 3 a.m. Sunday. As a result, 14 drivers were not driving our city streets while drunk. Around 1,575 vehicles passed through the checkpoint. The checkpoint was funded by a grant through the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Rally and Walk for a Safer PB
Friday, January 27, 5:30 pm

Meet on the Ocean Boardwalk just south of Crystal Pier
(Walk should be finished by 6:30 pm)

It’s a new year and looking back over the last few years, it is clear that Pacific Beach has made tremendous strides toward reaching its full potential as the gem of San Diego that we all know it is. However, problems in our business district have always been at the top of our SavePB surveys, and we believe 2012 is the year we will finally be able to fix those problems. Here is an event that will get us on our way toward achieving that goal!